This is Bill Gates’s idea of a summer reading list

TreyWilliams

Bill Gates, like Mark Zuckerberg and Warren Buffett, likes to read — and recommend the books he enjoys to others.

The Microsoft Corp.
MSFT, -1.70%
co-founder on Tuesday released his recommended reading list for recent grads and anyone heading out on summer vacation.

There are a couple of repeats from Gates’s last round of recommendations, but overall the books are a mix of humor and thought-provoking narrative, according to a spokeswoman in Gates’s personal office.

“Last year, there was only one book on my summer reading list that you could reasonably call a beach read,” Gates wrote on his blog. “This year I tried to pick a few more things that are on the lighter side. Each of these books made me think or laugh or, in some cases, do both.”

Graywolf Press

Slide 2 of 9

“On Immunity: An Inoculation”

Written by Eula Biss

“I had no idea what a pleasure reading it would be,” Gates wrote. “Biss, an essayist and university lecturer, examines what lies behind people’s fear of vaccinating their children. But she is not out to demonize anyone who holds opposing views. This is a thoughtful and beautifully written book about a very important topic.”

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Slide 3 of 9

“What If?”

Written by Randall Munroe

“People write Munroe with questions that range over all fields of science: physics, chemistry, biology. Questions like, ‘From what height would you need to drop a steak for it to be cooked when it hit the ground,” Gates said in his blog. “It’s an entertaining read, and you’ll also learn a bit about things like ballistics, DNA, the oceans, the atmosphere and lighting along the way.”

Breadpig

Slide 4 of 9

“XKCD”

Written by Randall Munroe

“A collection of posts from Munroe’s blog XKCD, which is made up or cartoons he draws making fun of things — mostly scientists and computers, but lots of other things too.”

Touchstone Books

Slide 5 of 9

“Hyperbole and a Half”

Written by Allie Brosh

“The book consists of brief vignettes and comic drawings about her young life. You’ll rip through it in three hours, tops,” Gates wrote. “But you’ll wish it went on longer, because it’s funny and smart as hell.”

W. W. Norton & Company

Slide 6 of 9

“How to Lie with Statistics”

Written by Darrel Huff

“I enjoyed it so much that it was one of a handful of books I recommended to everyone at TED this year,” wrote Gates. “One chapter shows you how visuals can be used to exaggerate trends and give distorted comparisons — a timely reminder, given how often infographics show up in your Facebook and Twitter feeds these days.”

Wiley-Blackwell

Slide 7 of 9

“Should We Eat Meat?”

Written by Vaclav Smil

“Vaclav Smil takes his usual clear-eyed view of the whole landscape, from meat’s role in human evolution to hard questions about animal cruelty.”

Free Press

Slide 8 of 9

“The Magic of Reality”

Written by Richard Dawkins

“This book is as accessible as the TV series ‘Cosmos’ is for younger audiences — and as relevant for older audiences,” Gates said in his blog. “Dawkins’s antagonistic (and, to me, overzealous) view of religion has earned him a lot of angry critics, but I consider him to be one of the great scientific writer/explainers of all time.”

“This book is as accessible as the TV series ‘Cosmos’ is for younger audiences — and as relevant for older audiences,” Gates said in his blog. “Dawkins’s antagonistic (and, to me, overzealous) view of religion has earned him a lot of angry critics, but I consider him to be one of the great scientific writer/explainers of all time.”

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